Chair of the Pacific Transnational Crime Network says drugs in the Pacific traced to South America

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA —The Chair of the Pacific Transnational Crime Network (PTCN) — who is also Samoa's Police Commissioner, Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo —  reports that the smuggling of illicit drugs within the region continues to increase, and its roots trace back to South America.

The Samoa Observer newspaper interviewed Chairman Auapa'au at the conclusion of the South West Pacific Heads of Maritime Forces meeting held in Samoa last week, where he confirmed that there has been an increase in drug smuggling within the region.

And now the Observer is reporting that the effect of this has been noticed in Samoa with larger quantities of methamphetamine (ice) being seized at a more frequent rate.

Police Commissioner Auapa'au says in a feature story in yesterday’s Observer that it has been identified that the drugs discovered by some of the Pacific Island countries are brought from South America down to New Zealand and Australia.

Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, the Chief of the Royal Australian Navy said that "drug smuggling did not slow down during COVID-19.”

"From the presentations we've had during our discussions and meetings, it has been identified that drug smuggling has increased within the region, tracing its roots all the way to South America, coming down to Australia and New Zealand because it is seen as a lucrative market.

"There are offers of one kilo of meth for an estimated cost of about $AUD200k ($128,994USD).

Read more at The Observer